According to Civic Center Spokesperson Jennifer McClintock, the event is scheduled for Sept. 21 in the smallest venue at the historic performing hall. The 92-seat theater is in the basement.

“I’m hoping we sell out,” said Adam Daniels, the leader of the Devil Worshiping group.

Despite calls by the church to cancel the event, McClintock said the Civic Center said it is illegal to do so. “We work in the interest of content neutrality so we can’t judge shows that want to rent space here based upon the content of their production,” she told KOCO’s Erielle Reshef.

The event in September will be the fourth such gathering in the space. “The first year they had about 50 in attendance, the second year they had 12, and last year, according to our box office they had zero,” said McClintock.

Church leaders like Archbishop Paul Coakley see the Black Mass as sacrilege.

“It’s really an attack on the fundamental act of Catholic worship, which is the Mass, and upon the beliefs of all Christians, which is the sovereignty of Christ,” he told Reshef, adding, “I wonder if the Civic Center would permit a group to come in and rent the space to burn a Koran, I hope they would not, but this is equally abhorrent.”

Coakley is now sharply decrying the event, prompting event organizers to welcome the added publicity.

“The guys on the other side of the coin are making enough noise they want to know what’s going on,” said Daniels.

But Coakley said, despite the heightened publicity, the church’s involvement is necessary. “I think that somebody has to speak up and speak out and I didn’t look for this challenge but I can’t turn away from it.”

McClintock said the Civic Center has received more than 500 calls and emails against the Black Mass. She said staff will work to answer all of them.

CIVIC CENTER TO STOP THE EVENT. WE EXPLAIN. WHEN YOU THINK OF EVENTS HERE AT THE CIVIC CENTER, YOU MAY THINK OF THIS GRAND LOBBY THE BIG EVENTS ON THE MAIN STAGE. BUT FOR THE BLACK MASK HAVE YOU TO GO DOWN THESE STAIRS TO THE SMALLEST VENUE IN THIS BUILDING. WALK DOWN THE STAIRS TO THE BASEMENT OF THE CIVIC CENTER AND YOU WILL FIND THIS SMALL THEATER WITH JUST 92 SEATS. I'M HOPING WE SELL OUT. DEVIL WORSHIPERS HAVE RENTED IT FOR THEIR BLACK MASK. WE WORK IN THE INTEREST OF CONTENT NEUTRALITY. WE CAN'T JUDGE SHOWS THAT WANT TO RENT SPACE HERE BASED UPON THE CONTENT OF THEIR PRODUCTION. Reporter: THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THE GROUP HAS USED THE SPACE. FIRST YEAR THEY HAD ABOUT 50 IN ATTEND DANCE. THE SECOND YEAR THEY HAD 12 AND LAST YEAR ACCORDING TO OUR BOX OFFICE THEY HAD ZERO. IT IS REALLY AN ATTACK UPON THE FUNDAMENTAL ACT OF CATHOLIC WORSHIP WHICH IS THE MASS, AND UPON THE FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS OF OWL CHRISTIANS THAT IS THE SOVEREIGNTY OF CHRIST. I WONDER IF THE CIVIC CENTER WOULD PERMIT A GROUP TO COME IN AND RENT THE SPACE TO BURN A QUARAN. I WOULD HOPE NOT. THE ARCHBISHOP IS URGING THE KIR COULD SOMEBODY TALE THE EVENT. THE GUYS WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. YOU FEEL LIKE THE PUSH BACK MAY BE HELPING YOU? YES, MA'AM. I THINK SOMEBODY HAS TO SPEAK UP AND SPEAK OUT. I DIDN'T LOOK FOR THIS CHALLENGE, BUT I CAN'T TURN AWAY FROM IT. AND THE SERGE IBAKA SAYS THEY ALWAYS WORK WITH POLICE TO MAKE SURE WHEN CONTROVERSIAL EVENTS